Dear Parents, We have had another great week full of fun and learning. Last week we worked on the letter Ss. In addition to reading an alliterative poem, listing words that begin with s, doing our yoga pose, and guessing what Simi placed in the clue can (a sock), we also had fun string beads and playing scrabble soup. We also started talking about fairy tales. The kids love playing with the castle blocks and this class of mostly girls is really interested in princesses. I decided to capitalize on this interest and take it further. So we read Snow White (tying to the letter s) and even used the seven dwarfs to talk about our unique personalities in a fun writing projects. We also read a traditional version of Red Riding Hood and then a silly version told from the wolf's point of view. Both of these stories let us discuss important issues in our social and emotional development. Understanding our own personality and how different people can see the same situation very differently are great concepts to introduce to young children. We also got a chance today to share a traditional tale most of the kids had never heard before, Anansi and the Moss Covered Rock. This is an African folk tale about a tricky spider that has a moral lesson. I am reading familiar favorites to capitalize on the kids interest, but introducing stories from other cultures too. This week we will celebrate Mardi Gras/Carnivaal on Tuesday (again, this day is really celebrated in a lot of South American cultures). It also leads us to Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent which is an important season for our own Christian culture. We will be attending Mass with our buddies and receiving ashes. So much to learn and celebrate. Your child will bring home a handout on Wednesday with a path. On this path are small things kids can do to sacrifice or pray more during lent. I encourage you to place this on the fridge, and encourage your child to do each day's activity during lent. It think that 3-5 year olds are not ready for a 40 day sacrifice, but can do well when we take it one day at a time. It is my hope that they continue to flourish in their friendship with Jesus during this special season. Please have a great week and a faith filled lent. Blessings, Mrs. Hale |
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